Glossary of Terms

We know that many of the concepts used on this site can be difficult to understand. For that reason, we have provided you with a glossary to help you make sense of the terms used in Comparative Effectiveness Research. Every word that is defined in this glossary should appear highlighted throughout the Web site. When you come upon a highlighted term and would like to read the full definition, you can either click on the word to visit the glossary or roll your mouse over the word for a pop-up definition.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Comparative Effectiveness

Definition: A type of health care research that compares the results of one approach for managing a disease to the results of other approaches. Comparative effectiveness usually compares two or more types of treatment, such as different drugs, for the same disease. Comparative effectiveness also can compare types of surgery or other kinds of medical procedures and tests. The results often are summarized in a systematic review.

Example: Researchers examined the comparative effectiveness of drugs used to treat depression. They examined all the studies about using drugs known as antidepressants. The studies looked at how well people's symptoms improved after taking an antidepressant and also examined the occurrence of side effects. The researchers summarized their findings in a systematic review.